Disposed¶36

Santosh Kumar Jha @ Santosh Kumar v. The State of Bihar

Patna HC7 Nov 2025MJC/365/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Patna High Court contempt petition (MJC No.365 of 2025, arising from CWJC No.17322 of 2022) by Santosh Kumar Jha alleging willful violation of the order dated 23.07.2024 requiring a permanent (not temporary/interim) committee of the Sri Sri 108 Baba Kusheshwarnath Mahadev Mandir Trust Committee, Kusheshwar Asthan, Darbhanga, by 05.11.2024, with Memo No. 1991 dated 18.12.2024 cited as breach; fresh show cause by the S.D.O., Biraul reporting cleaning steps, fines on litterers and bank deposit of temple collections; Rajiv Roy, J; contempt petition disposed of on 07-11-2025.

What did the court decide?

A fresh show cause on behalf of the S.D.O., Biraul indicated that all steps had been taken and fines had been collected from those who tried to litter/take steps so that the temple gets dirty. ¶33

Santosh Kumar Jha @ Santosh Kumar Vs The State of Bihar — Patna HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Disposed

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Issue for consideration

Whether contempt proceedings should be initiated against the opposite parties for their willful and deliberate violation of the order dated 23.07.2024 passed in CWJC No. 17322 of 2022 (direction to constitute a permanent trust committee by 05.11.2024).

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Court's answer

A fresh show cause on behalf of the S.D.O., Biraul indicated that all steps had been taken and fines had been collected from those who tried to litter/take steps so that the temple gets dirty.

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Ratio / Principle

As shown by the affidavit produced in the proceeding, the amount collected had been counted and deposited in the bank account.

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Key takeaways

The Court expected the process to continue relating to cleanliness and to regular depositing of the amount collected in the Temple.obiter¶35
Appreciating the efforts taken by the S.D.O., Biraul, the Court disposed of the contempt petition.ratio¶36

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Contempt petition — Patna High Court, Miscellaneous Jurisdiction Case No.365 of 2025 (arising out of Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.17322 of 2022) — decided 07-11-2025 — Coram: Rajiv Roy, J (single Judge). The petitioner sought initiation of contempt proceedings against the opposite parties for their willful and deliberate violation of the order dated 23.07.2024 passed in CWJC NO. 17322 of 2022, under which the trust board was to ensure that a permanent committee (not another temporary/interim committee) came into existence by 5th November, 2024, any subsequent interim committee or extension of the then committee being deemed violation of the Court's order; violation was alleged through Memo No. 1991 dated 18.12.2024 issued by opposite party no. 7, again placing opposite party no. 10 as Vice President in the permanent committee. In this proceeding a fresh show cause on behalf of the S.D.O., Biraul reported that all steps had been taken and fines collected from those who tried to litter the temple, and the affidavit showed the collected amount counted and deposited in the bank account. Expecting the cleanliness and regular-deposit processes to continue, and appreciating the efforts taken by the S.D.O., Biraul, the Court disposed of the contempt petition.

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA Miscellaneous Jurisdiction Case No.365 of 2025 In

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Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.17322 of 2022

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Santosh Kumar Jha @ Santosh Kumar Son of Ranjit Jha, Resident of VillageHirni, Ward No.5, P.S.- Kusheshwar Asthan, District- Darbhanga.

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... ... Petitioner/s

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Versus

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The State of Bihar

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Mr. Amrit Lal Meena, The Chief Secretary, Government of Bihar, Patna.

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Dr. Rajeev Mani, The Principal Secretary, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of Bihar, Patna.

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Mr. Akhilesh Kumar Jain, The President, Bihar State Board of Religious Trust, Vidyapati Marg, Patna.

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Dr. Manish Kumar, The Divisional Commissioner, Darbhanga Division, Darbhanga.

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Mr. Rajeev Raushan, The District Magistrate-cum-Collector, Darbhanga.

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Mr. Mobin Ali Ansari, The Additional District Magistrate, Darbhanga.

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Mr. Umesh Kumar Bharti, The Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Kusheshwar Asthan, Darbhanga.

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Mr. Yunus Ansari, The Deputy Collector, Land Reform, Kusheshwar Asthan, Darbhanga.

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Mr. Gopal Kumar, The Circle Officer, Kusheshwar Asthan, Dist.-Darbhanga.

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Mr. Umesh Kumar Bharti, the Sub- Divisional Officer - cum- President, Biraul Sub- Division, Sri Sri 108, Baba Kusheshwarnath, Mahadev Mandir, Trust Committee, Village - Rampur Raut @ Rauta, P.s. - Kusheshwar Astahan District- Darbhanga.

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Babu Kant Jha Son of Gopal Jha, Resident of Village- Dhobouliya, P.S.Kusheshwar Asthan, District- Darbhanga.

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... ... Opposite Party/s

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====================================================== Appearance :

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For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Pankaj Kumar Jha, Advocate For the Opposite Party/s : Mr. Prashant Pratap, GP-2 ======================================================

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CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJIV ROY ORAL ORDER

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9 07-11-2025 Heard the parties.

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The present petition has been preferred for the

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following relief(s):

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Patna High Court MJC No.365 of 2025(9) dt.07-11-2025 2/3

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“for initiation of contempt proceeding

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against the opposite parties for their willful and deliberate violation of the order dated 23.07.2024 passed in CWJC NO. 17322 of 2022 whereby and under his lordship has passed following order: "So far as the committee is concern it has been informed by the Learned counsel for respondent that it is coming to an end on 04th November, 2024. In that back ground when a general directions have already been issued, immediately step be taken in the light of the observation aforesaid and the trust board shall see to its 5th of November, 2024 a permanent committee (not another temporary/Interim Committee) comes into existence.

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If any temporary/interim Committee is constituted after the life of the present committee comes to an end on 04.11.2024 and/or, the present committee gets an extension, it will be deemed to be violation of the court's order.

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Even after the order dated 23.07.2024 the direction of Hon'ble Court has not been followed and the permanent committee not bee constituted in place of temporary committee and the opposite party no. 7

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Patna High Court MJC No.365 of 2025(9) dt.07-11-2025 3/3

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has issued a Memo No. 1991 dated 18.12.2024 it reflects that again the opposite party no. 10 as Vice President in the permanent Committee, the Chairman is acting with impunity in gross violation of order dated 23.07.2024."

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A fresh show cause has come on behalf of the S.D.O., Biraul, according to which, all the steps have been taken and fines are also been collected from those who tried to litter/take steps so that the temple gets dirty.

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